Take advantage of fresh summer corn with this easy Grilled Corn Salsa recipe! Made with grilled corn, grilled limes, cherry tomatoes, onions, cilantro and more, this dish is great as an appetizer with tortilla chips or a side dish with grilled meats.
Today’s summer grilled corn salsa recipe is sponsored by my friends at Char-Griller. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Isabel Eats possible!
Growing up in a Mexican household, corn made an appearance on the kitchen table every day in some form or another. Corn tortillas, tortilla chips, Mexican street corn, esquites, jalapeno cornbread. Corn was seriously everywhere!
And I’m happy to say that it still is. Corn is literally in my blood (after all, Mexico is the birthplace of corn), and I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to prepare it. That’s how this grilled corn salsa recipe was born!
This corn salsa is light, refreshing and super easy to make. It features:
- beautifully charred grilled corn on the cob
- fresh cherry tomatoes
- chopped red onions and cilantro
- splashes of lime juice and white wine vinegar
- simple pantry spices for a little extra flavor
If you haven’t done much grilling before or are intimidated by it, I totally understand. But don’t worry! I’ve got your back. Let’s break it down step by step.
First things first, you’re going to need to preheat your gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat, between 400°F-450°F. (Learn how to start a charcoal grill.)
I’m personally obsessed with my Char-Griller Texas Trio Gas & Charcoal Grill (shown above) because it’s heavy duty, high quality, affordable and has tons of space to grill all the things!
It also has a side gas burner for cooking any sauces or other sides you’re making, as well as a side smoker for cooking meats low and slow so they’re pull-apart tender. (My husband is particularly obsessed with the smoker, haha.)
For this recipe, I’m using the gas side of the grill to keep things quick with minimal cleanup. Once the grill is preheated, it’s time to get cooking.
How to make corn salsa
Brush 4 ears of shucked corn and 2 lime halves with oil. (photo 1)
Grill the ears of corn and limes cut side down with the lid closed as much as possible. Turn the corn occasionally and cook it for a total of 10-15 minutes, until the kernels are caramelized and charred. Remove the limes after only about 2-4 minutes. They should have pretty grill marks on them. (photo 2)
Once the corn has cooled enough to handle it, cut the corn kernels off the cob. (photo 3)
Add the juice of the grilled lime, red onions, cilantro, jalapenos, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and ground cumin. Toss together to combine and that’s it! (photo 4)
Corn Salsa Recipe Tips & Tricks
My favorite way to cut corn off the cob is to flip a small bowl upside down and place it into a larger bowl. Stand the ear of corn on the small bowl and slice down the ear of corn with a knife. The kernels will fall into the larger bowl and you’ll be able to get every last kernel. It also makes for easy cleanup!
Let the corn salsa rest in the fridge for 1 hour before serving. This helps all the flavors meld together and takes away some of the bite from the chopped red onions.
Middle of winter and can’t get any fresh corn? You can still make this salsa. Simply drain and rinse about 2 1/2 to 3 cups canned corn and saute it in a skillet with a little olive oil, until it gets nice and charred.
Serving Suggestions
- Crispy Pork Cutlets
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Cilantro Pesto
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Easy Herb Sauce
- Easy Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
- 4 ears sweet corn, shucked
- 1 lime, halved
- 1 tablespoon oil, for grilling
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 large red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (between 400°F-450°F). Brush shucked corn and lime halves with 1 tablespoon oil.
- Grill the corn: Grill the ears of corn with the lid closed for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until corn is caramelized and dark brown spots appear on the kernels.
- Grill the lime: While the corn is cooking, grill the lime halves cut side down on the cooking grates and remove them after grill marks appear, about 2-4 minutes.
- Cool: Transfer the grilled ears of corn and lime halves to a large plate and let cool for 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- Combine: Cut the grilled corn off the cob and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the juice out of the grilled lime halves and add in all of the remaining ingredients. Toss together to combine, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Serve with tortilla chips, on carne asada, or in a burrito bowl. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Isabel’s Tips:
- My favorite way to cut corn off the cob – Flip a small bowl upside down and it into a larger bowl. Stand the ear of corn on the small bowl and slice down with a knife. The kernels will fall into the larger mixing bowl and you’ll be able to get every last kernel. Also easy cleanup!
- Let the corn salsa rest in the fridge for 1 hour before serving. This helps all the flavors meld together and takes away some of the bite from the chopped red onions.
- Middle of winter and can’t get any fresh corn? Drain and rinse about 2 1/2-3 cups canned corn and saute it in a skillet with a little olive oil, until it gets nice and charred.
Nutrition Information
These are awesome! Can’t wait to make some of them thank you
When making the Taco Salad recipe is it alright to make the meat sauce and freeze for a few days before using?
Hi Linda! Yes, that should be fine!